Scottish Executive

Ambulance Service

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-30942 by Malcolm Chisholm on 6 November 2002, what procedure is followed in deciding whether to dispatch the Rapid Response Unit, the Cardiac Response Unit or an accident and emergency ambulance with thrombolytic capability in response to an emergency call and who makes the decision on which vehicle is dispatched.

Malcolm Chisholm: Rapid Response Units are part of the Priority Based Dispatch system and will be dispatched, where operational, to all Category A calls when an accident and emergency unit (AEU) cannot be on scene within eight minutes.

  The decision to send either the Cardiac Response Unit or an AEU with the facility to thrombolyse a "chest pain" patient is based on distance. The nearest available resource would be sent.

Ambulance Service

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-29906 by Malcolm Chisholm on 8 October 2002, what the on-call arrangements for the Rapid Response Unit are for patients living south of Forfar.

Malcolm Chisholm: Throughout the Angus area the Rapid Response Unit deployed to patients with chest pains will be either the Cardiac Response Unit (CRU) or an accident and emergency unit (AEU), both of which have the same thrombolytic capability. While the AEU is available on a 24-hour basis throughout the area, the CRU is only operational in an area that may broadly be described as to the north of Forfar and during peak times.

Asylum Seekers

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it is helping asylum seekers integrate into communities.

Ms Margaret Curran: The Executive established the Scottish Refugee Integration Forum to allow Scotland’s statutory and voluntary agencies to work in partnership to support refugees more effectively. Where appropriate, the forum has also considered the needs of asylum seekers. It will publish its action plan early next year following a recent consultation on a draft plan. In addition, £700,000 was assigned from the Social Inclusion Partnership Budget in September 2001 to assist community projects in dispersal areas.

Autism

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-29088 by Mr Frank McAveety on 20 September 2002, how often the Autistic Spectrum Disorders Needs Assessment Report implementation group will meet and whether the agenda and minutes of the meetings will be made publicly available.

Mr Frank McAveety: Following publication of the Autistic Spectrum Disorders Needs Assessment Report a reference group was set up to meet twice yearly to share ideas and advise ministers as work on autism is taken forward by the Scottish Executive. Although it is not intended to publish the agenda and action points from meetings, the work of the group is not confidential and members are free to share information with others.

Child Welfare

Mr Kenneth Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has received about the "Child Rescue Alert" scheme, introduced by Sussex Police, which aims to apprehend those suspected of abducting children.

Mr Jim Wallace: None directly. The Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland is, however, being kept informed of developments associated with the project.

Child Welfare

Mr Kenneth Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make contact with the authorities behind the "Child Rescue Alert" scheme in Sussex and whether it will consider any evidence of "Amber Alert" schemes saving children’s lives in the USA.

Mr Jim Wallace: There are no current plans to do so. However, the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (ACPOS) is in contact with the Association of Chief Police Officers in England and Wales and will be provided with updates on the Sussex project, particularly the planning, methods of public appeal, the progress of the system and the running and management of the programme. I shall wish to discuss developments with ACPOS when there has been adequate opportunity to consider the programme’s progress.

Child Welfare

Mr Kenneth Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will investigate introducing a scheme similar to the "Child Rescue Alert" scheme, introduced by Sussex Police, working with the broadcast media and using electronic road signs.

Mr Kenneth Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will investigate ways of overcoming any legal or technical problems in the way of introducing a scheme similar to the "Child Rescue Alert" scheme introduced by Sussex Police.

Mr Jim Wallace: There are no current plans to do so. The Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (ACPOS) is in contact with the Association of Chief Police Officers in England and Wales and will be provided with updates on the Sussex project, particularly the planning, methods of public appeal, the progress of the system and the running and management of the programme. I shall wish to discuss developments with ACPOS when there has been adequate opportunity to consider the programme’s progress.

Concessionary Travel

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the £25 million for free local off-peak bus travel for elderly and disabled concessionary card holders has been allocated to the Renfrewshire Council area.

Lewis Macdonald: Renfrewshire’s share of these resources is part of its unhypothecated general block grant allocation and is not identified separately. It is for the council to establish its actual level of expenditure on individual services.

Economy

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has a target for Scotland's share of the UK economy.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Executive does not have such a target. However, it does wish to see an increase in the long-term growth rate of the Scottish economy and believes it has the policies in place to do so, within the context of a stable UK macro-economic framework.

Education

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to promote literacy and numeracy in primary schools.

Cathy Jamieson: In June I launched national statements for improving attainment in literacy and numeracy in schools in Scotland.

  These statements will help promote and develop the work taking place in education authorities and schools by providing a complete overview of the national guidance, resources and initiatives available for literacy and numeracy across pre-school, primary and secondary education.

  Funding has been provided to Learning and Teaching Scotland to appoint two national Development Officers to support education authorities and schools teach literacy and numeracy.

Education

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what initiatives there are to support the educational attainment of looked-after children.

Cathy Jamieson: We are committed to improving the educational attainment of looked-after children. By the end of this year we expect local authorities to ensure that looked-after children receive full-time education, that they have a care plan covering their educational needs, and that each school has a designated teacher to look after their interests. In 2001-02 we gave local authorities £10 million to support the education of looked-after young people. The spending review allocated money to improving outcomes, including educational attainment, for looked-after children. This year we have collected information on the educational attainment of looked-after children for the first time and we have commissioned Who Cares? Scotland to survey looked-after children to find out about their experiences of education, what they want from education and how it can be inspired.

Environment

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive on how many sites in Scotland the bog bush-cricket has been recorded; where these sites are located, and what policies are in place, in both national or local biodiversity action plans, to secure its conservation.

Allan Wilson: There are two known sites for Metrioptera brachyptera (the bog bush-cricket) in Scotland. This species has been recorded in 2002 at Aucheninnes Moss/Little Cloak near Dalbeattie. There is also a record from the 1960s, for Raeburn Flow a SSSI/cSAC, near Kirkpatrick Fleming in Dumfries and Galloway.

  There is no UK Species Action Plan for the bog bush-cricket. The bog bush-cricket is listed as a Local Priority Species within the Dumfries and Galloway Local Biodiversity Action Plan (LBAP), published June 1999. LBAPs encourage positive conservation management for species which are regionally or locally scarce but are not endangered on a UK level.

Environment

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any sites on which bog bush-crickets have been recorded have been designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) or receive protection under any other national or international legislation and, if no such sites have been designated, what directions or guidance it has provided to Scottish Natural Heritage in relation to site protection measures for this species and other rare invertebrate fauna.

Allan Wilson: During the 1960s the bog bush-cricket was recorded at Raeburn Flow, a SSSI/cSAC. This is the only record on any SSSI in Scotland. The guidelines for the selection of a biological SSSI specify a number of criteria under which invertebrates may be "qualifying features" for SSSI designation. As it is not an endangered species in Great Britain, the bog bush-cricket is unlikely to be considered a "qualifying feature". There are no international protection measures in place for the bog bush-cricket.

  Scottish Natural Heritage, as the Scottish Executive's Statutory Advisor implements the protection of rare invertebrate fauna through provision of guidance and direction. This includes the protection of species under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, by SSSI and other designations and through UK and Local Biodiversity Action Plans.

Environment

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what its policies are for the protection of rare invertebrate fauna, particularly in relation to development proposals likely to lead to national or local extinction of a species.

Allan Wilson: Scottish ministers place much reliance on working with landowners and managers of land containing invertebrate species as an important aspect of their protection. Many of the threats to such species can be the absence of key features of their habitats so landowners and managers are well placed to provide the necessary habitats and food sources important to their survival.

  The Scottish Executive issued guidance in October 2001 which offered advice to local authorities and developers on the licensing arrangements which apply in cases where European Protected Species are presently on any site which is the subject of a development proposal. This guidance re-enforces the protective regime for the animal and plant species listed respectively in Schedule 2 and Schedule 4 to the Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c) Regulations 1994.

Fire Service

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what level of annual pay it considers reasonable for a firefighter.

Hugh Henry: The Scottish Executive has no direct locus in fire service pay and conditions of service issues. These are matters for the local authority employers and are negotiated on a UK basis through the National Joint Council.

Fire Service

Dennis Canavan (Falkirk West): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will give an update on its position on the firefighters’ dispute.

Hugh Henry: The Executive welcomes the suspension of the Fire Brigade Union's eight-day strike which had been due to start on Wednesday 4 December. We welcome any serious attempt to find a negotiated settlement which is fair to the firefighters, affordable and embraces modernisation.

Fisheries

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on securing a future for fishing communities.

Ross Finnie: In order to secure a future for fishing communities, we need to safeguard the fish stocks on which they depend. The Scottish Executive takes very seriously the latest scientific advice that a substantial reduction in fish mortality is required if a collapse of key whitefish stocks is to be avoided. However, the Commission has accepted our argument that alternatives to closure must be sought. We shall continue to press hard for alternative measures that strike an appropriate balance between conservation of stocks and ensuring a sustainable fishing industry.

Fisheries

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what tonnage of sand eels has been caught in the North Sea in each of the last five years.

Ross Finnie: The information requested is not held centrally. I refer the member to page 100 of the recent Advisory Committee on Fishery Management report which can be accessed on the ICES website http://www.ices.dk/ .

Fisheries

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive where in the North Sea sand eel fishing takes place.

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what monitoring takes place of sand eel fishing in the North Sea.

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are being taken to reduce sand eel fishing in the North Sea.

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what impact sand eel fishing has on white fish supplies in the North Sea.

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what impact sand eel fishing has on conservation methods introduced to protect supplies of white fish in the North Sea.

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations have been made to the European Commission regarding sand eel fishing in the North Sea.

Ross Finnie: The North Sea sandeel fishery is spread across the North Sea with the highest volume of landings reported from the area between 54 and 59 degrees latitude excluding the Wee Bankie area which has been closed to sandeel fishing since 2000 as a result of UK intervention. Few of the vessels involved in the sandeel fishery are Scottish, and the Scottish Executive does not hold data on the activity of foreign vessels that have not landed into Scotland.

  Marine environments are complex systems of multiple interactive influences including food chains, predation and human activities including fishing. The precise effects of any single influence are therefore not known although it is recognised that there is some whitefish by-catch. Monitoring of this fishery is conducted through the normal logbook requirements; a scientific sampling plan applies for the small-scale scientific fishery in the Wee Bankie box.

  Measures to reduce effort in all fisheries that result in increased mortality rates of cod are under serious consideration. These include the sandeel fishery. It should be noted that the most effective means of reducing whitefish by-catch in this fishery appears to be by reduction of fishing effort and not by the introduction of additional technical conservation measures. The UK has previously expressed concerns about the effects of industrial fishing and has signalled to the Commission and to member states its determination to see a reduction in the sandeel TAC for 2003 to ensure that allowable catches of whitefish stocks will be prioritised for human consumption.

Food Safety

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether x-ray equipment has been introduced to scan containers and personal luggage to detect the presence of illegal food imports; if so, where the equipment is located and how many items of equipment there are.

Ross Finnie: Customs and Excise, in conjunction with the Ports Health Authority at Southampton, ran some containers through their commercial size x-ray equipment. Unfortunately the initial reaction from the port health officers was that this is not a promising route to identify smuggled meat.

  More trials are needed and both Felixstowe and Southampton will be engaged in further work.

Food Safety

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether amnesty bins to encourage the surrender of unintended illegal personal imports of meat have been introduced; if so, where they are located and how many there are.

Ross Finnie: There have been discussions with HM Customs and Excise on the use of amnesty bins but they have not been introduced. Where passengers wish to surrender unintended illegal personal imports of meat and other animal products, they can present them to customs officials in the "Red Channel".

Food Safety

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what research is being carried out, or has been instructed, into technologies to assist in the detection of illegal meat imports.

Ross Finnie: Research has been conducted into the use of x-ray machines for both passengers and freight. A trial was carried out at Southampton and further trials are planned at Southampton and Felixstowe.

Food Safety

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had any discussions on any measures towards establishing a single agency approach to deal with any future animal disease epidemic, as referred to in the House of Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee Seventh Report of Session 2001-02, Illegal Meat Imports , and whether such an approach would establish such an agency in Scotland separate from any other such agency in the United Kingdom.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive was fully involved in the study undertaken by the Machinery of Government Secretariat of the Cabinet Office which examined the existing arrangement, administering the importation of legal and smuggled meat. Its report concluded that the responsibility for detecting and seizing illegal meat imports should be transferred to HM Customs and Excise and that, in the longer term, consideration should be given to establishing a single agency to deal with legal meat imports.

  Discussions on the best way to implement this recommendation are on-going and no decision has been taken on the form and size of any new organisation.

Food Safety

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Minister for the Environment and Rural Development has had any role or input, in relation to the Executive’s responsibilities, into proposals contained in the House of Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee Seventh Report of Session 2001-02, Illegal Meat Imports , that relate to matters reserved to Her Majesty’s Government.

Ross Finnie: No Scottish Executive minister had any role or input into the proposals by the House of Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee report into Illegal Meat Imports .

Food Safety

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on when the Machinery of Government Secretariat is expected to report on the review of the system of import controls and the role of the responsible agencies.

Ross Finnie: The Machinery of Government Secretariat reported on 6 November 2002. The main recommendation is to transfer the responsibility for detecting smuggled meat from local authorities to HM Customs and Excise.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to the debate on its response to the foot-and-mouth disease inquiries ( Official Report , c 15673), how many sniffer dogs are now actively engaged in the detection of illegal meat imports.

Ross Finnie: There are two dogs actively involved in the current trial at Heathrow Airport.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many additional staff have been recruited to police controls as referred to in the debate on its response to the foot-and-mouth disease inquiries on 21 November 2002 ( Official Report ,   c 15674) of the meeting of the Parliament.

Ross Finnie: An additional £1.5 million has been made available this financial year for additional checks on imports with an additional 18 staff to be recruited for enforcement purposes.

Further Education

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to take forward its consultation on governance and accountability in the further education sector.

Iain Gray: I am currently considering the responses to the consultation exercise, and I hope to be in a position to announce the outcome of my consideration early in the New Year.

Health

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will respond to correspondence on the use of Coagucheck strips sent on 1 July and 18 September 2002 to the Minister for Health and Community Care.

Malcolm Chisholm: I apologise for the delay in dealing with your letter of 1 July 2002, a reply has now been issued. We can find no trace in the office of a letter dated 18 September 2002.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-31271 by Malcolm Chisholm on 18 November 2002, how the appropriate guidance for users of CoaguChek testing strips is likely to differ from that already provided by the British Society of Haematology to NHS prescribers and dispensing contractors in England, Wales and Northern Ireland where strips are already available on prescription, and when it expects to finalise such guidance.

Malcolm Chisholm: British Society of Haematology guidance on the use of CoaguChek testing strips was published in the British Medical Journal in October 2001. The article included a recommendation that the guidance be reviewed in April this year. A multidisciplinary working group was convened in May 2002 to review all previous guidance, and produce guidance from a prescribing practitioner perspective in the context of services to patients via NHS Scotland. This is now available on www.show.scot.nhs.uk and CoaguChek testing strips were added to the Scottish Drug Tariff on 27 November.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-31271 by Malcolm Chisholm on 18 November 2002, how many patients it estimates would undertake anticoagulation self-monitoring if monitoring strips were to be made available under the Scottish Drug Tariff.

Malcolm Chisholm: Information about the number of patients receiving treatment with anticoagulants is not available. Self-monitoring will not be appropriate for all patients who are receiving anticoagulation therapy. Selection of patients suitable for self monitoring is a matter for the responsible medical practitioner.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-31271 by Malcolm Chisholm on 18 November 2002, what the estimated savings are to the NHS of prescribing self-monitoring anticoagulation strips given that such strips cost £2.44 and the estimated cost of a laboratory test for an identical blood sample is £80.

Malcolm Chisholm: It is not possible to produce an estimate of the savings as the number of patients currently receiving treatment with anticoagulants is not available. The number of patients likely to be prescribed CoaguChek testing strips is unknown.

Health

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when the expert support team called in to Argyll and Clyde NHS Board will report.

Malcolm Chisholm: I met with the Expert Support Team on Friday 29 November. I asked them to complete their report and make a presentation to Argyll and Clyde NHS Board within the next few days. I will make an announcement soon thereafter.

Justice

Paul Martin (Glasgow Springburn) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made by the working group on possible legislation to tackle religious hatred.

Mr Jim Wallace: The group’s report is being published today. In line with its recommendations, the Executive will be supporting legislation to create a statutory aggravation of religious prejudice, as tabled for consideration in the current Criminal Justice Bill by Donald Gorrie MSP. The Executive also intends to consult on the other recommendations in the report. Copies of the report have been placed in the Scottish Parliament’s Reference Centre.

Maritime Issues

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to send any representatives to the meeting of the EU Maritime Transport Council on 6 December 2002.

Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive will not send a representative to the EU Transport Council meeting on 5 to 6 December 2002.

  Decisions on Scottish ministers' attendance at Council meetings are made on a case by case basis depending on the agenda of the Council meeting in question.

Museums and Galleries

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much, in total, the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art has spent on purchasing new acquisitions in each of the last five years; what proportion of these sums has been spent on works purchased from, or originating from, artists resident in Scotland, and what criteria are used in deciding on such purchases, particularly with regard to the representation of the work of modern artists resident in Scotland.

Dr Elaine Murray: Because it is common to spread purchases over two or even three years, it is not possible to give total amounts for each of the past five years. However, the average over this period is £600,000 a year. A total of £3,140,256 from all sources, both public and private, has been spent on acquisitions.

  Over the last five years (i.e. since 1997) the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art has acquired 441 works. Of these, well over a half, 267, are by artists who are Scottish or who live in Scotland. Three hundred and eleven of the total number of acquisitions have been given to the gallery, and of those, 194 are works by Scottish artists.

  During this period the gallery spent £613,520 on acquiring Scottish art. The value of Scottish art that it received as gifts was probably in excess of that figure.

  The funds used to acquire new works come from various sources including outside bodies such as the Heritage Lottery Fund, the National Art Collections Fund and the Henry Moore Foundation. This came to £1,014,244, a third of the total amount spent.

  All works acquired by the gallery must be able to stand up to being viewed in an international context. The collective judgement of the expert curators working at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, as well as broad professional opinion, inform these decisions. Significant acquisitions include £1,050,000 on Miró’s masterpiece Head of a Catalan Peasant 1925, which the gallery bought together with the Tate Gallery, London, and the first instalment (£316,667) towards the Jörg Schellmann Collection of Multiples by Joseph Beuys (an artist who had a close connection with Scotland and a major impact on Scottish artists) and a group of important paintings by the Scottish artist Alan Davie.

Museums and Galleries

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what purchasing policy the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art is intending to pursue over the next three years with regard to developing its collection so that it can present a wide and deep view of the work of modern artists resident in Scotland.

Dr Elaine Murray: Subject to the availability of funds, the Gallery of Modern Art would always hope to devote a significant part of its annual allocation to works by living Scottish artists, though not to the exclusion of its wider, international responsibilities.

Nursing and Midwifery

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-31153 by Malcolm Chisholm on 12 November 2002, what the current monetary value is of the nursing and midwifery student bursary; whether this bursary level adequately provides for the living costs of nursing and midwifery students that receive the bursary; how many such students have received the bursary in each of the last three years; how many such students are currently receiving the bursary, and how much would it cost annually, based on current information, to replace the bursary with a salary system providing (a) £10,000 and (b) £15,000 per year.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Nursing and Midwifery Student Bursary scheme is demand-led but in 2001-02 cost £35.7 million. A non-repayable bursary of £5,430 (for students under 26 at the start of the course) or £6,115 (for students over 26) is awarded to cover day-to-day living costs. The bursary has increased by 21% since 1998 and is supplemented by other allowances including single parents' allowance (currently £1,100), an income assessed allowance for dependant children, excess costs for travel to placement and Disabled Students Allowance.

  Other health care students receive a partly income assessed package totalling £3,980, including student loan, for their living cost support, plus other allowances where appropriate. Other students receive up to £3,905, plus allowances.

  According to the data collected by the Student Awards Agency for Scotland, the number of students who have received bursaries in the current and previous three years is set out in the following table:

  
 Year Students
 2002 8,660
 2001 7,755
 2000 7,404
 1999 6,764


  A salary of £10,000 (which would be taxable) for each student would cost around £86 million a year and a salary of £15,000 would cost around £130 million.

Pre-School Education

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements are in place for monitoring the quality of educational provision in the pre-fives sector.

Cathy Jamieson: Under the terms of the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act, 2001, the Care Commission have joint responsibility with HM Inspectorate of Education (HMIE) for the inspection of day care of children which includes an educational activity.

  A very extensive three-year transitional programme of integrated inspections by HMIE and the Care Commission will begin in April 2003. These inspections will monitor the quality of both education and care in all pre-school education services.

Pre-School Education

Mr Kenneth Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on integrated inspections of early years provision.

Cathy Jamieson: From April 2003 to April 2006, HM Inspectorate of Education and the Care Commission will jointly inspect all EA nursery schools and classes, independent school nursery classes, and voluntary and private pre-school centres which are in funded partnership with their education authority.

Public Services

Mr John Home Robertson (East Lothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans there are to meet any need for investment in public services and infrastructure in areas where the population is increasing.

Mr Andy Kerr: General funding allocations, for example to local authorities, reflect relative population levels. The three-year local government settlement allocations I announced yesterday use the most recent available information from the 2001 Census and population and school pupil projections for future years. East Lothian Council’s increased allocations of £113 million, £120 million and £125 million for each of the next three years reflect its projected population levels across relevant age groups.

Rail Network

Bristow Muldoon (Livingston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in increasing the amount of rolling stock available for the passenger rail franchise.

Iain Gray: I was pleased to be able to announce on 6 November our intention to provide new rolling stock to service the Edinburgh Park development.

Rail Services

Mr Murray Tosh (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-31597 by Lewis Macdonald on 2 December 2002, whether its letter to the Convener of the Transport and Environment Committee will be issued, in paper or electronic form, to all MSPs.

Iain Gray: I am writing today to the Convener of the Transport and Environment Committee to inform him that the Scottish passenger rail franchise is to be seven years in length, with the possibility of a three-year extension, and to explain the reasoning for that decision. I am placing a copy of that letter in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 25467).

Roads

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-29536 by Lewis Macdonald on 2 October 2002, what the procedures are that Scottish ministers must follow under the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 in considering objections to the draft orders regarding the A90 improvement and what the timetable for such consideration is.

Lewis Macdonald: If objections are not withdrawn, Schedule 1 of the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 sets out the circumstances which cause a Public Local Inquiry to be held and those where, if Scottish ministers are satisfied, they may decide the holding of an inquiry is not necessary. There is no specified timetable in either case.

Schools

Mr Kenneth Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish the report by Philip Banks on support for school boards.

Nicol Stephen: I am pleased to announce publication today of this independent report which was prepared for the Scottish Executive by Philip Banks, an independent consultant.

  The remit of the review was to provide information on and evaluate local authority support for school boards; to identify the needs of school boards and headteachers in terms of finance and administration, initial and continuing training, availability of information, resources and role development; to evaluate the current contribution of key agencies to meeting school boards needs, and to identify key issues for future policy consideration.

  The report, in its own words "does not propose a set of firm recommendations to address a list of neatly definable problems". Instead it "suggests a process that may be set in motion to find practical proposals to ensure the future health of parental representation in Scottish Schools" and emphasises how important it is that this review process should be both inclusive and consultative. I very much endorse these conclusions. Getting the balance and approach right for current and future generations of parents is not something that can be achieved on the basis of a limited investigation.

  Some of the report’s findings relate to good practice. I have, therefore, already asked the Scottish School Board Association and the Association of Directors of Education in Scotland to consider developing guidance which could be issued to local authorities and school boards to improve good practice and ensure that boards are working in the most effective way.

  Other findings, relating to the report’s more fundamental "key issues for future policy consideration" will need to be reviewed in the inclusive and consultative way the report suggests. Many of these issues relate to aspects of one of the main themes running through the responses to the National Debate on Education, namely how to improve communication between schools and parents and to involve parents more in their children’s education. We shall indicate how these matters are to be taken forward when we publish our response to the national debate in the new year.

  A copy of the report will be placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre. It will also be available on the Scottish Executive website.

Scottish Environment Protection Agency

Maureen Macmillan (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when the Scottish Environment Protection Agency is due to publish its annual report and accounts for 2001-02.

Allan Wilson: The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) is due to publish its sixth annual report and accounts on 6 December. The report contains details of SEPA’s achievements and activities during the period 1 April 2001 to 31 March 2002, the agency’s sixth year of operation. Copies of the annual report and accounts will be placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 25348).

Scottish Executive Staff

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications it received for the post of Policy Officer in the special educational needs bill team and whether the post has now been filled.

Cathy Jamieson: The Executive has received 10 applications for the post of Policy Officer in the Additional Support Needs Division of the Scottish Executive Education Department. The post has not yet been filled.

Scottish Executive Websites

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-30870 by Mr Andy Kerr on 15 September 2002, how much specific business has been generated by its Property Pages website expressed in (a) value and (b) volume.

Mr Andy Kerr: On 25 November, the number of properties being advertised through the website was 1,583. The number of public sector organisations using it was 53.

  The value price or rent achieved on the conclusion of a transaction is not recorded.

  As most properties are marketed by sale board, leaflet, newspaper, estate agents particulars and the website it would need users to provide the Scottish Executive with returns. This would involve disproportionate costs.

  The website is a relatively inexpensive, "light touch" facility designed to assist the sale and letting of vacant public sector property in Scotland.

Scottish Executive Websites

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it cost to develop the Older People's website and how much has been budgeted to maintain the website inclusive of VAT.

Mr Frank McAveety: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-30639 on 31 October 2002. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at   http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search . The answer explained that the costs were being met from within existing departmental running costs.

Scottish Executive Websites

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many hits the Older People's website has had in (a) total and (b) each month since its inception and how these figures compare to pre-launch projections.

Mr Frank McAveety: The activity on the Scottish Executive website is measured in page impressions which is a universally recognised measure of website activity, sometimes referred to as website hits. The Older People's website has had a total of 9,691 hits between its inception on 29 August and 15 November. The monthly breakdown of hits is as follows:

  
 29 to 31 August
166  September
3,410  October
4,011  1 to 15 
November 2,104 

  There were no pre-launch projections for this website.

Scottish Executive Websites

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-30863 by Lewis Macdonald on 19 November 2002 giving statistics on the number of page impressions viewed on the Learn to Let Go website, how many single visits the website had over the same period.

Lewis Macdonald: There have been 22,817 single visits to the website since its introduction in June 2001. The monthly figures are as follows:

  

2001 2002
 June  286
January 1,391
 July  591
February 1,256
 August 
495 March
1,352  September
1,290 April
1,462  October
1,177 May
1,511  November
1,225 June
1,568  December
1,169 July
2,146  
August 2,078 
September 1,919
 October
1,901

Social Inclusion Partnerships

Mr Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to alleviate child poverty in social inclusion partnership areas.

Ms Margaret Curran: Child poverty is defined not only by income, but also by children’s ability to reach their potential. Social inclusion partnerships are assisting in the alleviation of child poverty by promoting a range of activities to encourage and empower communities; health projects; child care provision, and routes into employment and training.

Social Justice

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to its letter to me of 11 November 2002, whether it is its intention to consult local authorities on the abolition of capital receipts set-aside rules as announced by the Minister for Social Justice in her ministerial statement on housing on 7 November 2002 or to abolish these rules as indicated by the Deputy Minister for Finance and Public Services during the debate on quality of life later that day.

Peter Peacock: The Scottish Executive’s policy is as stated in the Minister for Social Justice’s statement on 7 November. As a consequence of the move to the Prudential Regime, the capital receipts set-aside rules are unlikely to remain relevant and we will consult local authorities on the abolition of these rules.

Special Educational Needs

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-30910 by Cathy Jamieson on 19 November 2002, who the members of the Special Educational Needs Forum are; what qualifications and expertise each member has, and what criteria were used to decide on the forum’s membership.

Cathy Jamieson: Members of the National Special Educational Needs (SEN) Advisory Forum as at November 2002 are:

  
 Mrs Jane Ansell 
Director Sleep Scotland, Member of Enable’s National Children’s Committee 
  Ms Jane Arrowsmith 
Head Teacher, Oakbank Special School, Aberdeen 
Dr Lindsay Burley* General Manager, Borders 
Health Board  Miss Jeanette Cochrane 
 Deputy Regional Councillor, Royal College 
of Speech and Language Therapy   Mr 
Fernando Diniz* Chair, Minority Ethnic Learning 
Disabilities Initiative (MELDI)  Ms 
Heather Fisken* Policy Analyst, Disability 
Rights Commission  Mr Paul Hamill 
 Head of SEN Department, Strathclyde University 
  Mr Jimmy Hawthorn 
Association of Directors of Social Work  
Ms Ros Hunter  Midlothian Council
 Dr Patricia Jackson 
Consultant Paediatrician, Royal Hospital for Sick Children  
Mr Bryan Kirkcaldy  Association of Directors 
of Education   Mr Ian Liddle 
Association of Scottish Principal Educational Psychologists  
Ms Dorothy Macdonald* Equity Group
 Mrs Arlene Mooney 
Scottish President, National Association for Special Educational Needs 
 Mr Frank Newall 
COSLA (West Dunbartonshire Council) 
Professor Sheila Riddell  Chair of Social 
Policy, (Disability Studies), Glasgow University  
Mr Bruce Robertson  COSLA (Highland Council)
 Mr Bill Sadler 
President, Scottish Support for Learning Association  
Mr Kevin Tansley  Head Teacher, The Royal 
Blind School, Edinburgh   Dr Kay 
Tisdall  Director of Policy and Research, 
Children in Scotland   Ms Janice 
Walker  Scottish Association of Pre-School 
Home Visiting Teachers for Children with Special Educational Needs 
 Mrs Shirley Young 
Parent, and information worker for families, of children with special needs 
 

  Note:

  * Co-opted as new or replacement member

  Nominations for membership of the forum were received in early 2000 from over 60 individuals or organisations with expertise in special educational needs. From these ministers appointed 19 members to serve as members of the forum for three years. Ministers, subsequently, co-opted a further three members. The membership covers a broad range of SEN interests, including local authority and health agencies, teaching, learning support and educational psychology, parents, the independent and voluntary sectors, training providers and academic interests.

  Ministers will review the future work and membership of the forum in early 2003.

Special Educational Needs

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-30910 by Cathy Jamieson on 19 November 2002, how the Special Educational Needs Forum will gather its evidence.

Cathy Jamieson: The forum's primary role is to offer advice and comment to Scottish ministers on their development of policy to support children with special educational needs. Members of the forum have held several discussions with ministers on the Executive's proposal to issue a strategy framework for meeting the needs of children who require additional support for learning.

Special Educational Needs

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-30910 by Cathy Jamieson on 19 November 2002, how many meetings of the Special Educational Needs (SEN) Forum have taken place to date, what issues were discussed, and whether the minutes of the meetings are publicly available.

Cathy Jamieson: The National SEN Advisory Forum met four times in 2000, five times in 2001 and three times in 2002.

  Forum discussions covered a range of interests, including disability and SEN legislation, the assessment and recording of children with SEN, inter-agency working, teacher specialist qualifications, an additional support needs strategy framework and the national education debate. Minutes of the forum meetings can be found on the Scottish Executive website.

Student Finance

Dr Sylvia Jackson (Stirling) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many young students’ bursaries have been awarded since they were introduced.

Iain Gray: The Young Students’ Bursary is provided as an entitlement based on the level of parental income. Eligibility for the bursary is assessed as part of the overall assessment of eligibility for student support.

  In academic year 2001-02, there were 13,579 recipients of the Young Students' Bursary. In the current academic year, to date, 20,190 awards have been made.

Tourism

Maureen Macmillan (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many responses it received to its consultation on the review of area tourist boards and when it expects to announce its conclusions.

Dr Elaine Murray: The consultation period on current area tourist board arrangements ran from 27 May 2002 to 27 September 2002, and a total of 324 responses were received. We expect to announce the results of the consultation in the new year.

Tourism

Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements it has to meet ministers from other parts of the UK to discuss tourism issues.

Dr Elaine Murray: Meetings between ministers take place at regular UK Tourism Summits or when a particular issue warrants a meeting. I met with UK Tourism ministers at the latest summit on 28 November and two days earlier Mike Watson attended a meeting involving UK tourism ministers on "Tomorrow’s Tourism", the UK tourism strategy.